fuddleduddledee
New Member
A while back it was decided by the School Board that my son was going to be moved to the senior Asperger's classroom at his school for next year. This decision by the School Board was a numbers issue, not in the best interest of the child. His teachers didn't want him to move, he didn't want to move, and, I didn't want him to move. He is very comfortable in his current classroom and I just knew if they moved him all heck would break out. His teacher's pleaded his case, his psychiatrist wrote a letter, I spoke to the School Board Rep and still they were going to move him. One morning in February out of desperation I sat down and wrote the following letter.
Dear Mr. Principal:
I am the mother of the above-named student, difficult child, who is attending your school and enrolled in the Asperger Program. He has been is this program and his current home room for the past two years now. It is my understanding that the School Board in its infinite wisdom has decided that difficult child should be moved to the senior Aspergers class for the next school year.
For the first time in his entire school life, difficult child has found a place where he feels at home, a place where he belongs, where he is able to succeed, where the staff understands him, where he is able to attend a complete school day. Never, before have I had the confidence to know that when he leaves in the morning on the school bus, that he will be gone from home for the whole day. Never, before have I had the ability to stay at my job all day knowing that I will not receive a telephone call at some point in the day to come and get him. This is the first school year in the past twelve years where I do not cringe and feel my stomach turn when the call display reads HIGH SCHOOL XXX-XXX-XXX. Oh, the embarrassment I have felt and the tears that have rolled down my cheeks over the years!!! There was a time when it felt like I could just put the keys in the ignition and my vehicle knew its own way to the school. Even as I type this letter the painful memories of those prior school years brings tears to my eyes.
difficult child is a complex child, as he was once described to me by a psychologist. He has the following current psychiatric diagnosiss bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, ADHD, and Asperger Syndrome and he is highly medicated. Any one of these disorders in and of themselves would be crippling to most people and yet, despite these difficulties this child is now finally succeeding in school. I give much credit to the staff in room 219 for difficult childs current school success. Despite his age, I would place difficult childs maturity level around the 10 or 12 year old level. I have grave concerns at this point in moving him into the senior class as I do not feel he will continue to succeed. I discussed this with his psychiatrist and she also is supportive of him remaining in his current environment. I had previously forwarded a letter to the school written by Dr. Prescription Writer from XXXXXX Hospital indicating her position in this matter.
Please understand Mr. Principal, I am not asking that difficult child remain in his current placement forever, just requesting a reprieve for possibly a year. I know that the School Board is looking at numbers and dollars but knowing my son, I am concerned that he will backstep yet again instead of continuing to succeed.
I appreciate your taking the time to read this long-winded letter.
Thank you,
***I WON, I FOUND OUT TODAY I WON, I WON, I WON*** He will continue to remain in his current classroom at least for the next school year and, it was my letter that was the deciding factor. 
I still can't believe it was my letter that did it.
Dear Mr. Principal:
I am the mother of the above-named student, difficult child, who is attending your school and enrolled in the Asperger Program. He has been is this program and his current home room for the past two years now. It is my understanding that the School Board in its infinite wisdom has decided that difficult child should be moved to the senior Aspergers class for the next school year.
For the first time in his entire school life, difficult child has found a place where he feels at home, a place where he belongs, where he is able to succeed, where the staff understands him, where he is able to attend a complete school day. Never, before have I had the confidence to know that when he leaves in the morning on the school bus, that he will be gone from home for the whole day. Never, before have I had the ability to stay at my job all day knowing that I will not receive a telephone call at some point in the day to come and get him. This is the first school year in the past twelve years where I do not cringe and feel my stomach turn when the call display reads HIGH SCHOOL XXX-XXX-XXX. Oh, the embarrassment I have felt and the tears that have rolled down my cheeks over the years!!! There was a time when it felt like I could just put the keys in the ignition and my vehicle knew its own way to the school. Even as I type this letter the painful memories of those prior school years brings tears to my eyes.
difficult child is a complex child, as he was once described to me by a psychologist. He has the following current psychiatric diagnosiss bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, ADHD, and Asperger Syndrome and he is highly medicated. Any one of these disorders in and of themselves would be crippling to most people and yet, despite these difficulties this child is now finally succeeding in school. I give much credit to the staff in room 219 for difficult childs current school success. Despite his age, I would place difficult childs maturity level around the 10 or 12 year old level. I have grave concerns at this point in moving him into the senior class as I do not feel he will continue to succeed. I discussed this with his psychiatrist and she also is supportive of him remaining in his current environment. I had previously forwarded a letter to the school written by Dr. Prescription Writer from XXXXXX Hospital indicating her position in this matter.
Please understand Mr. Principal, I am not asking that difficult child remain in his current placement forever, just requesting a reprieve for possibly a year. I know that the School Board is looking at numbers and dollars but knowing my son, I am concerned that he will backstep yet again instead of continuing to succeed.
I appreciate your taking the time to read this long-winded letter.
Thank you,
***I WON, I FOUND OUT TODAY I WON, I WON, I WON*** He will continue to remain in his current classroom at least for the next school year and, it was my letter that was the deciding factor. I still can't believe it was my letter that did it.
!!!
